Synthesis of vertically aligned boron nitride nanotubes with a template of single-walled carbon nanotubes

Boron nitride nanotubes have been proposed of having great potential in various applications due to their outstanding properties such as high thermal conductivity and excellent chemical stability. Here, we present a template-assisted method of synthesizing vertically-aligned boron nitride nanotubes (VA-BNNTs) from vertically-aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes (VA-SWCNTs). This approach involves a chemical vapor deposition of boron nitride layers coating onto VA-SWCNTs first and subsequent removal of VA-SWCNTs by the oxidation in pure oxygen. The obtained VA-SWCNTs covered by BNNTs and VA-BNNTs arrays retain a highly ordered vertically aligned structure. The thermal stability of VA-SWCNTs was enhanced by coating with BNNTs. The structure and crystalline conditions were characterized by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. The chemical composition of samples was investigated by UV–Vis–NIR absorption spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Boron nitride coating starts onto VA-SWCNTs from the top of the VA-SWCNTs array, which is confirmed by NanoSIMS characterization. Graphical abstract

[1]  E. Kauppinen,et al.  One-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures: Growth mechanism and handedness correlation revealed by nondestructive TEM , 2021, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[2]  J. Talla.  Stability and electronic properties of hybrid coaxial carbon nanotubes–boron nitride nanotubes under the influence of electric field , 2021, Applied Physics A.

[3]  R. Xiang,et al.  Efficient growth of vertically-aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes combining two unfavorable synthesis conditions , 2019, Carbon.

[4]  J. Kong,et al.  One-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures , 2018, Science.

[5]  C. Kingston,et al.  Role of Hydrogen in High-Yield Growth of Boron Nitride Nanotubes at Atmospheric Pressure by Induction Thermal Plasma. , 2018, ACS nano.

[6]  Bo Liu,et al.  Thermal Conductivity Enhancement of Coaxial Carbon@Boron Nitride Nanotube Arrays. , 2017, ACS applied materials & interfaces.

[7]  S. H. Tsang,et al.  Facile Synthesis of Millimeter-Scale Vertically Aligned Boron Nitride Nanotube Forests by Template-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition , 2015 .

[8]  A. Zettl,et al.  Scaled synthesis of boron nitride nanotubes, nanoribbons, and nanococoons using direct feedstock injection into an extended-pressure, inductively-coupled thermal plasma. , 2014, Nano letters.

[9]  Kenji Watanabe,et al.  Strong oxidation resistance of atomically thin boron nitride nanosheets. , 2014, ACS nano.

[10]  K. L. Shepard,et al.  One-Dimensional Electrical Contact to a Two-Dimensional Material , 2013, Science.

[11]  C. Zhi,et al.  Highly thermo-conductive fluid with boron nitride nanofillers. , 2011, ACS nano.

[12]  A. Glushenkov,et al.  Single deep ultraviolet light emission from boron nitride nanotube film , 2010 .

[13]  Jing Kong,et al.  Synthesis of few-layer hexagonal boron nitride thin film by chemical vapor deposition. , 2010, Nano letters.

[14]  Dmitri Golberg,et al.  Boron nitride nanotubes and nanosheets. , 2010, ACS nano.

[15]  Zhongfan Liu,et al.  Vertically Aligned Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Chemical Assembly – Methodology, Properties, and Applications , 2010, Advanced materials.

[16]  C. Zhi,et al.  Alignment of Boron Nitride Nanotubes in Polymeric Composite Films for Thermal Conductivity Improvement , 2010 .

[17]  X. Blase,et al.  Boron-nitride and boron-carbonitride nanotubes: synthesis, characterization and theory , 2010 .

[18]  Y. Yap,et al.  Patterned Growth of Boron Nitride Nanotubes by Catalytic Chemical Vapor Deposition , 2010 .

[19]  P. T. Lillehei,et al.  Very long single- and few-walled boron nitride nanotubes via the pressurized vapor/condenser method , 2009, Nanotechnology.

[20]  Takashi Taniguchi,et al.  Far-ultraviolet plane-emission handheld device based on hexagonal boron nitride , 2009 .

[21]  C. Zhi,et al.  Thermal conductivity improvement of polymer films by catechin-modified boron nitride nanotubes , 2009 .

[22]  Seung Min Kim,et al.  Double-walled boron nitride nanotubes grown by floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition. , 2008, Nano letters (Print).

[23]  Kenji Watanabe,et al.  Deep Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Hexagonal Boron Nitride Synthesized at Atmospheric Pressure , 2007, Science.

[24]  Xiaoshu Wang,et al.  Template-directed synthesis of boron nitride nanotube arrays by microwave plasma chemical reaction , 2007 .

[25]  E. Pop,et al.  Thermal conductance of an individual single-wall carbon nanotube above room temperature. , 2005, Nano letters.

[26]  Z. Pan,et al.  Low temperature growth of boron nitride nanotubes on substrates. , 2005, Nano letters.

[27]  S. Ringer,et al.  In Situ Formation of BN Nanotubes during Nitriding Reactions , 2005 .

[28]  Riichiro Saito,et al.  Raman spectroscopy of carbon nanotubes , 2005 .

[29]  Jin Zou,et al.  Boron nitride nanotubes: Pronounced resistance to oxidation , 2004 .

[30]  Shigeo Maruyama,et al.  Growth of vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotube films on quartz substrates and their optical anisotropy , 2004 .

[31]  David L. Carroll,et al.  Tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy of multiwalled boron nitride nanotubes , 2003 .

[32]  Charles M Lieber,et al.  Fundamental electronic properties and applications of single-walled carbon nanotubes. , 2002, Accounts of chemical research.

[33]  Y. Bando,et al.  A novel precursor for synthesis of pure boron nitride nanotubes. , 2002, Chemical communications.

[34]  R. Ma,et al.  Growth, Morphology, and Structure of Boron Nitride Nanotubes , 2001 .

[35]  Hui-Ming Cheng,et al.  Tensile strength of single-walled carbon nanotubes directly measured from their macroscopic ropes , 2000 .

[36]  Dmitri Golberg,et al.  Insights into the structure of BN nanotubes , 2000 .

[37]  R. Ruoff,et al.  CVD Growth of Boron Nitride Nanotubes , 2000 .

[38]  Y. Matsui,et al.  Long ropes of boron nitride nanotubes grown by a continuous laser heating , 2000 .

[39]  John D. Fitz Gerald,et al.  A solid-state process for formation of boron nitride nanotubes , 1999 .

[40]  Y. Bando,et al.  Synthesis of boron nitride nanotubes from carbon nanotubes by a substitution reaction , 1998 .

[41]  Shui-Tong Lee,et al.  Synthesis of Boron nitride nanotubes by means of excimer laser ablation at high temperature , 1998 .

[42]  M. Eremets,et al.  Nanotubes in boron nitride laser heated at high pressure , 1996 .

[43]  Steven G. Louie,et al.  Boron Nitride Nanotubes , 1995, Science.

[44]  D. Hess,et al.  Structural and optical properties of plasma-deposited boron nitride films , 1986 .

[45]  M. Conway,et al.  Nanotube growth during annealing of mechanically milled Boron , 2003 .